Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Esports market set to continue growth despite COVID-19
- Sponsorships generate over half of esports revenue for Western Europe
- Further details arrive for next-generation consoles
- Impact of COVID-19 on Esports
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- Figure 1: Expected impact of COVID-19 on esports, short, medium and long term, 14 July 2020
- Key esports events cancelled or postponed
- Esports players and competitive streamers likely to buy next-gen consoles despite economic uncertainty
- Coverage of sports games now well placed to appeal during any further lockdown
- Companies and brands
- Razer to host esports events at new flagship London store
- Football players compete in ePremier League Invitational
- YouTube becomes new exclusive streaming platform for Activision esports
- GAME opens gaming and esports arena in partnership with Belong
- The consumer
- Over a third of Generation Z play video games at least five days a week
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- Figure 2: Frequency of playing video games, by gender and generation, April 2020
- Younger consumers drive interest in game viewing and streaming
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- Figure 3: Watching and streaming gameplay, April 2020
- Majority of consumers prefer to watch esports events at the venue
- Half of esports viewers would be interested in speaking with other fans
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- Figure 4: Preferences for watching esports events, April 2020
- Over four in 10 esports viewers have bought merchandise
- Esports fans also show interest in becoming professional players
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- Figure 5: Buying esports merchandise and interest in becoming an esports player, April 2020
- Nearly two thirds of gameplay viewers interested in gaming studios
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- Figure 6: Watching and playing video games in social venues, April 2020
- More esports coverage on TV would increase viewership
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- Figure 7: TV coverage increasing esports viewership for current gameplay viewers, April 2020
- Figure 8: TV coverage increasing esports viewership, April 2020
- What we think
Impact of COVID-19 on Esports
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- Esports market set for full-year growth despite COVID-19
- Esports players and competitive streamers likely to buy next-gen consoles despite economic uncertainty
- COVID-19 lockdown expected to have increased esports viewership
- COVID-19 lockdown puts the brakes on the emergence of esports studios
- Coverage of sports games now well placed to appeal during any further lockdown
Issues and Insights
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- Esports studio visits would attract a wide range of gamers
- The facts
- The implications
- Personalised messages to reward the most avid esports fans
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Esports market grows despite COVID-19 pandemic
- Sponsorships generate over half of esports revenue for Western Europe
- Further details arrive for next-generation consoles
- Esports players to still buy next-gen consoles despite consumer concern over finances
- Google Stadia now available but question marks over its impact on the esports market
Market Size
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- Esports market set to continue growth despite COVID-19
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- Figure 9: Expected impact of COVID-19 on esports, short, medium and long term, 14 July 2020
- Esports market valued at $974 million in 2020
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- Figure 10: Global revenue for esports, 2018-20
- Sponsorships generate over half of esports revenue for Western Europe
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- Figure 11: Western Europe esports revenue breakdown, 2020
Market Drivers
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- Key esports events cancelled or postponed
- League of Legends MSI
- Dota 2 International
- Fortnite World Cup
- Further details arrive for next-generation consoles
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X
- Esports players and competitive streamers likely to buy next-gen consoles despite economic uncertainty
- Google Stadia now available but with question marks over its impact on the esports market
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Razer to host esports events at new flagship London store
- Football players compete in ePremier League Invitational
- F1 runs Esports Virtual Grand Prix
- YouTube becomes new exclusive streaming platform for Activision esports
- GAME opens gaming and esports arena in partnership with Belong
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Razer to host esports events at new flagship London store
- GAME opens gaming and esports arena in partnership with Belong
- Football players compete in ePremier League Invitational
- F1 runs Esports Virtual Grand Prix
- ATP and WTA host virtual Madrid Open
- Gareth Bale and David Beckham invest in esports teams
- Gareth Bale
- David Beckham
- YouTube becomes new exclusive streaming platform for Activision esports
- YouTube signs exclusive deals with former Twitch esports stars
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Over a third of Generation Z play video games at least five days a week
- Younger consumers drive interest in game viewing and streaming
- Majority of consumers prefer to watch esports events at the venue
- Over four in 10 esports viewers have bought merchandise
- Esports fans also show interest in becoming professional players
- Nearly two thirds of gameplay viewers interested in gaming studios
- More esports coverage on TV would increase viewership
Frequency of Playing Video Games
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- Over a third of Generation Z play video games at least five days a week
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- Figure 12: Frequency of playing video games, April 2020
- Figure 13: Frequency of playing video games, by gender and generation, April 2020
Watching Game Streams and Esports
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- Younger consumers drive interest in game viewing and streaming
- Game streams
- Esports
- Gameplay streaming
- COVID-19 lockdown expected to have increased esports viewership
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- Figure 14: Watching and streaming gameplay, April 2020
Attending and Watching Esports Events
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- Majority of consumers prefer to watch esports events at the venue
- Half of esports viewers would be interested in speaking with other fans
- Over half of viewers would pay for exclusive streams
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- Figure 15: Preferences for watching esports events, April 2020
Consoles and Merchandising for Esports
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- Esports gamers most likely to use desktop or PlayStation
- PC vs console gaming for esports
- Using gaming studios to test out different equipment
- Importance of smartphone gaming
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- Figure 16: Console used for esports players, April 2020
- Over four in 10 esports viewers have bought merchandise
- Nearly half of esports fans are looking to become professional players
- Concerns over screen addiction for upcoming esports gamers
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- Figure 17: Buying esports merchandise and interest in becoming an esports player, April 2020
Esports and Social Venues
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- Nearly two thirds of gameplay viewers interested in gaming studios
- Concerns over safety for esports studios amid COVID-19
- Over six in 10 gameplay viewers interested in esports bars
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- Figure 18: Watching and playing video games in social venues, April 2020
Esports Coverage on TV
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- More esports coverage on TV would increase viewership
- Coverage likely to be particularly appealing during any further COVID-19 lockdown
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- Figure 19: TV coverage increasing esports viewership for current gameplay viewers, April 2020
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- Figure 20: TV coverage increasing esports viewership, April 2020
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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